HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY: Coach stepped down on same day AD reinstated players

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Saratoga Springs High School varsity ice hockey coach Mike Ricupero stepped down from the position days before the start of the season - the same day the athletic director reinstated players that Ricupero cut from the team.

The assistant coach, Jeff Harrington, also stepped down after the Streaks' first game on Nov. 25.

Ricupero, a physical education teacher at Greenfield Elementary School, was about to begin his fourth season as varsity head coach when, on Nov. 22, he filed a leave of absence for "personal reasons."

Later that day, AD Peter Sheehan reinstated three players Ricupero had cut and added a fourth player who played last year but had not rejoined the team. Of the players cut by Ricupero, one is new to the team.

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One of the four players will be serving a four-game suspension for a code of conduct violation, Sheehan said.

Every athlete at Saratoga is required to sign a code of conduct that outlines appropriate behavior in and out of school. This is a "year-round commitment," according to Sheehan.

Neither Sheehan nor Ricupero would comment on the specific circumstances of the players involved.

"The ultimate decision was mine. After thought and deliberation I made the decision to let them play," Sheehan said. "For each individual kid our expectations have been clearly outlined."

Sheehan said he had meetings with some of the cut players, their parents and Ricupero between Nov. 10 - when cuts were made - and when Ricupero filed his leave of absence. Neither Sheehan nor Ricupero would get into specifics of what was said at the meetings.

"I had many discussions with Mike about how he wanted to go about things. When he was the coach, he had every right to place on the team who he wanted on the team," Sheehan said. "I had every intention of supporting his decision 100 percent."

Ricupero first mentioned stepping down to Sheehan on Friday, Nov. 18, but Sheehan told him to take some time to think about it.

On the day after Ricupero took his leave of absence, assistant coach Jeff Harrington informed Sheehan of his desire to step down following the Streaks' first game on Nov. 25. He turned in his letter of resignation earlier this week, according to Sheehan.

Harrington served as the head coach from 2002 to 2005 and returned as an assistant under Ricupero. He works at the high school as a physical education teacher.

Dave Torres is filling in as head coach in the interim, assisted by Tim Grande, until a permanent hire is made.

Torres is an attendance officer at the high school and previously served as an assistant coach on the team in 1992-93 season. His son was a team captain for the Blue Streaks in 2007. "Mr. Torres offered to step up and do what he could," Sheehan said.

According to Sheehan, the position must be posted for a required amount of time before the school can make a hire. Those dates are Dec. 6 for the head coaching position and Dec. 8 for the assistant position.

"If Mike wanted to come back tomorrow, we would be fortunate to have a coach the caliber of Mike Ricupero at Saratoga High School," Sheehan said.

"I like Mike," Torres said. "I told him, 'When you want to come back the program is all yours.'"

Ricupero had coached the team to a 57-16-4 record in three seasons at the helm. His teams also appeared in each of the last two New York State finals, losing in 2009 to West Genesee 3-0 and to Williamsville North 3-2 last season.

In an official statement from the school, Superintendent Janice White said: "They are excellent coaches and we appreciate their contribution to the athletic program. We respect their personal decision and would welcome them back to the coaching staff when they feel the time is right."

"I can't really say," Ricupero said about the possibility of coming back. "I don't know how I feel about what is going on."